Virology
Did viruses enable sex?
By Vincent Racaniello | 03-09-2017 | Basic virology, Information
A key step in sexual reproduction is the fusion of haploid cells to form a diploid zygote, yet the molecular mechanism underlying this joining of cells is poorly understood. Two studies reveal amazing similarities between proteins required for fusion of sperm and egg, and virus with host cells. A screen for genes that cause male sterility in the flowering plant Arabidopsis led to …
TWiV 431: Niemann-Pick of the weak
By Vincent Racaniello | 03-05-2017 | This Week in Virology
The TWiVirions reveal bacteriophage genes that control eukaryotic reproduction, and the biochemical basis for increased Ebolavirus glycoprotein activity during the recent outbreak. You can find TWiV #431 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 431 (71 MB .mp3, 118 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
A virus that controls reproduction
By Vincent Racaniello | 03-03-2017 | Basic virology, Information
The obligate intracellular bacteria Wolbachia (pictured), which infects 40% of arthropods, can manipulate its host to ensure its maintenance in the population. An example is cytoplasmic incompatibility, which occurs when infected males mate with uninfected females, and causes embryonic lethality (mating with an infected female produces viable offspring). Two Wolbachia genes responsible for this phenotype have been …
TWiV 430: The persistence of herpesvirus
By Vincent Racaniello | 02-26-2017 | This Week in Virology
The TWiX cabal discuss sexual transmission of Zika virus in mice, and how immune escape enables herpes simplex virus escape from latency. You can find TWiV #430 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 430 (63 MB .mp3, 104 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
How prions make you sick
By Vincent Racaniello | 02-24-2017 | Basic virology, Information
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are rare, but always fatal, neurodegenerative disorders of humans and other mammals. They are characterized by long incubation periods, spongiform changes in the brain associated with loss of neurons, and the absence of host responses. TSEs are caused by infectious proteins called prions. Insight into how prions cause TSEs comes from the observation that …
TWiV 429: Zika Experimental Science Team
By Vincent Racaniello | 02-19-2017 | This Week in Virology
Vincent meets with members of team ZEST at the University of Wisconsin Madison to discuss their macaque model for Zika virus pathogenesis. You can find TWiV #429 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen/watch right here. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV429.mp3″] Click arrow to play Download TWiV 429 (48 MB .mp3, 78 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
David Tuller
Trial By Error: Lancet Letter Exchange on Claimed Success of “Persistent Physical Symptoms” Trial Despite Clinically Insignificant Findings
04-04-2025
By David Tuller, DrPH Last year, The Lancet published a paper from Christopher Burton and colleagues called “Effectiveness of a symptom-clinic intervention delivered by general practitioners with an extended role for people with multiple and persistent physical symptoms in England: the Multiple Symptoms Study 3 pragmatic, multicentre, parallel-group, individually randomised controlled trial.” Per the norm …
Trial By Error: New Study Documents Iatrogenic Harm from Perceived Psychosomatic and Psychiatric Misdiagnoses of Rheumatic Diseases
03-31-2025
By David Tuller, DrPH In 2020, I wrote a post about a paper, published by the journal Rheumatology Advances in Practice, called “Medically explained symptoms: A mixed methods study of diagnostic, symptom and support experiences of patients with lupus and related systemic autoimmune diseases.” The corresponding author was Melanie Sloan, a researcher in the Department …
Trial By Error: BMJ’s Strange Response to Our Letter of Concern Regarding “Living Systematic Review” of Long Covid Interventions
03-28-2025
By David Tuller, DrPH In December, I sent a letter, co-signed by 18 colleagues, to The BMJ‘s editor in chief, Dr Kamran Abbasi. The letter requested a correction to a problematic study called “Interventions for the management of long covid (post-covid condition): living systematic review.” According to this review, there is “moderate certainty evidence” that …
Trial By Error: A Reprise of a 2018 Post on My Visits with Alem Matthees
03-22-2025
By David Tuller, DrPH In 2018, I spent six weeks in Australia, visiting multiple cities on a kind of ME/CFS tour around the country. Near the end, I spent five days in Perth. The local patient and advocacy organization arranged for me to give a talk, do some lobbying with local government, and so on. …
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Trial By Error: Our Presentation at the University of New South Wales
03-20-2025
By David Tuller, DrPH On Tuesday, I gave a presentation at the Kirby Institute, a renowned research center at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, along with my friend and colleague Dr David Joffe, a respiratory medicine specialist. David spoke about the pathophysiology of Long Covid as well as the enormous economic burden of the …
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Trial By Error: My 2018 Post on Andrew Lloyd’s Memory Lapses, Revisited
03-19-2025
Yesterday, in Sydney, I gave a presentation at the Kirby Institute, a renowned research center at the University of New South Wales, along with my friend and colleague Dr David Joffe, a respiratory medicine specialist. David spoke about the pathophysiology of Long Covid as well as the enormous economic burden of the disease. I spoke …
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